Moments of Impact: Finnick and Annie's story
by Believeinthefuture
Summary: Life's all about moments of impact and how they change our life forever. This is a story about the moments of impact in Finnick and Annie's lives. From the reaping of the 65th Hunger Games to the end of Mockingjay.
1. Chapter 1

A seagull crows from somewhere high up in the bright blue sky, the waves crash along the rocky shore in a rhythmic pattern. The feeling of the warm sand running through my fingers, if I closed my eyes I could convince myself that it was any other day but today. I could convince myself that in the matter of a couple hours I wouldn't be subjected to take place in the 65th annual Hunger Games reaping.

I wasn't necessarily worried by the fact that my name could be pulled out of that haunting glass bowl. I was only 14 and only had my name in the mandatory three times. I've been lucky my family has always had enough to eat so i've never had to take out any tesserae. Even if my name was pulled out more likely than not someone would volunteer to take my spot in the games. Living in district 4 makes us one of the three career districts, so we usually have volunteers especially when someone younger gets pulled.

"Finnick!" I lifted my head off the sand propping myself up on my elbows and squinting in the direction the voice came from. All I saw was her long wavy thick brown hair billowing around her small frame but that was all I needed to see to know who she was. Annie Cresta was running down the beach her hand raised in a slight wave, a big smile plastered across her face despite the day and the nerves it's surely bringing her. She's 12 and it's her first year of eligibility in the reaping. Our families have been friends since our parents where our age, so we've grown up together. I'm an only child so her and her older sister are the closest things to siblings I've got. She slides to a stop next to me and plops down in the sand.

"Hey" she said trying to catch her breath

"Look, Annie, I know I'm breath taking and all but I mean come on control yourself." I said, winking at her. She smiled for a quick second before it faltered into a grimace pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her left arm around her bony knees and drawing circles in the sand with her right. I pushed myself into a sitting position and bumped my shoulder into hers.

"What's up?" I asked her, she lifted her head just enough to shoot me a glare.

"It's reaping day and your asking me what's wrong, is it not obvious?"

"Sassy." she threw another annoyed glare my way. "alright, alright, not a time for jokes I get it, sorry." she sighed and stared out into the ocean. She was silent for a few moments before she spoke.

"Where do you think it goes?" she asked

"Where does what go?" I asked her

"The ocean." she said, in a quiet voice.

"Out" I paused turning to face the ocean as well, "why does it matter?"

"What if one day we just got on a boat and kept going. What If one day we just never came back." I stared at her questioningly trying to see if she was kidding or just talking to talking, no one talked like that. Saying things like that gets people killed around here you never know who's listening.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked her, "they probably bug every single boat all of district 4 has."

"And what if they don't?" she challenged, her face set in a stubborn scowl and wanting more of an answer to why I wouldn't even consider something like that.

"I don't know about you but I don't want to be the one to test that theory." I snapped at her.

"Because you're scared" she said very matter of fact.

"Well to be honest that's exactly why I don't. It's exactly why no body does anything, because we live in fear and that's what they want. Every year we try to cram as much time as we possible can with the people we love because anyone of us could be taken away at any moment. We don't leave because we fear what they would do to us, we're all run by fear Annie, the districts are run by fear, and that's exactly what they want." I told her. She looked at me and for the first time today I saw the fear in her eyes that I'm sure has been plaguing her on the inside since the day she turned 12.

"Well they do a pretty good job of it." she paused for a second and looked on the verge of tears "I'm scared Fin." her voiced cracking as her eyes filled with tears threatening to spill over. I wrapped my arm around her tiny shoulder and pulled her against me, resting my chin on top of her head.

"You're going to be fine Annie, it's only your first year 12 year olds rarely get picked and even if they do someone would volunteer for you. We're a career district no one likes seeing a 12 year old go in, there not good odds." I tried to keep my voice comforting but it hardened on the last couple of words, knowing the only thing keeping her from certain death is the fact that their not good odds. Nothing to do with the fact that she's a human being just as much as the next person.

"It's not just me I'm worried about. I'm not scared for me at all I'm scared for you and kylee. Kylee's 18 she has a really good chance of being picked." it'd be just like Annie to worry about everyone but herself.

"Kylee will be fine, there has got to be at least a thousand or so names in there and some of them have to take out tesserae." she sniffled and pulled her head back to look at me.

"What about you?" she asked, I gave her my best sly grin.

"You're kidding right, I can spear a fish better than most of the adults around this place and I mean come on, look at me," I said gesturing with my hand at my face and body, "who wouldn't want to sponsor this." I winked at her, and she let out a small laugh.

"Your so full of yourself, Finnick." she said smiling

"Ya but I made you smile didn't I?" she just rolled her eyes and got to her feet, holding her hand out to me, I grabbed it and got to my feet with little help from her.

"I should head back before I have no time to pretty myself for this grand event." she told me sarcasm evident in her voice.

"Ya I should probably do the same, I'll meet you back here after it's all over, we'll go for a night swim to celebrate." I told her smiling she raised her head from looking at the sand to looking at my face, her eyes burning with unmistakable fear, for herself, for her sister, for me. Her eyes fell back down the sand, and her voice so quiet I had to strain to hear her she asked.

"Promise?"

"Promise." She gave me one less unconvinced smile before turning and heading back the way she came. I watched her for a while, realizing as she got farther and farther out of my view that she could very well be up for slaughter in the next couple hours. I turned the opposite way Annie went and started back to my house, I lived only 10 minutes from the beach which made life a lot easier considering most of my days were spent either on a boat or spearing fish with my trident in the water. As I walked back to my house I let myself really think about the possibility that I could be reaped. I wasn't entirely kidding when I told Annie I was good looking and wouldn't have any issues finding a couple sponsors. I was only 14 but I had matured faster than any other boys in my class, my voice had already reached the deep voice my father has while the rest of my class was still squawking like a bunch of school girls. I was tallest in the class by a long shot already reaching over 6 foot, I had plenty of muscles in my arms and stomach from working on the boats, and according, to my mother my two best features being my deep green eyes and messy bronze colored hair would be able to get a few shallow sponsors the Hunger Games weren't a beauty pageant by any means but being good looking definitely doesn't hurt. The Capitol cotizens like looking at a pretty face makes for all the more interesting game. I had to pass right on the outside of the square where the district four justice building was stationed, where the reaping will take place later today. They're peacekeepers all over the whole area up and down the make shift aisle of the roped off sections the small check in table, the small stage where the capitol flag was flying high. It was like a sea of white uniform, all blurring together.

"Keep moving sir," I hadn't realized I had stopped walking until the peacekeeper had his gun in my back pushing me forward "now." he said demanding not a hint of question or room to argue in his voice. I roughly shoved his gun out of my back side, "I'm moving" I grumbled. I picked up my pace slightly until I was past the square. I came upon my house it was more like a shack nestled in between two extremely large oak tree that grow around it and connected together at the top almost like its shielding it from the sides. It's a little run down but it's all we're got and it's better than some of the other districts have, so I guess I should be grateful. I pushed the front door open and was immediately in the kitchen a small circular table that sits 3 was seated in the middle of the room on the right side, the kitchen was on the left a small stove, a little fridge a few cupboards. Next to the kitchen in pretty much the same room was the living room, a small couch and a little T.V. was propped on a wooden box, it was never used unless for the games or mandatory viewings the Capitol forces us to watch. My mother came stomping down the stairs and through the little hallway into the kitchen.

"Good lord Finnick, where have you been the reaping start in 45 minutes and you look a mess, and you lossed your shirt, that's the second one!" her voice escalating as she spook. I looked down at my chest and realized I had left my shirt on the docks when I was spearing the fish earlier today.

"Calm down mommy dearest, I'll be prepped and pretty before you know it. Did I tell you your hair is looking lovely today." I reached down for her hand and kissed it, she pulled it away and glared at me.

"Go. Now." I walked past her and she reached up and whacked me on the back of the head. "You're too charming for your own good Finnick Odair." she said.

"Geez maybe you should go in the games this year." I told her rubbing the back of my head. She laughed once before hollering after me, "I layed down some clothes for you to wear."

"Aww shucks you shouldn't have." I said as I reached the stair, I could just see her rolling her eyes. I walked up the stairs and went into the first door on the right, a small bathroom which was shared between the three of us. There was a small mirror, a counter with a sink, a toilet in the corner, and a shower that barely worked. It randomly spouts water out and the waters freezing, if I had more time I would go down to the ocean and wash my hair there but I don't so I jumped in the cold water rinsed, washed, and got out in 5 minutes. Towel dried and shook my hair out, I wrapped the towel around my waist and walked across the hall to my room. My mom had laid out a black button down shirt and brown khakis that had probably once been my dads. I slipped on the pants and shirt, ran my finger through my hair a couple times, heaved a sigh, and headed back down stairs.

My mom was bring some bread out of the oven white rolls with seaweed on the top the same bread I've lived of for as long as I can remember. She set them on the counter and looked over at me.

"How sexy do I look?" I asked her, raising my eyebrow and smirking at her. She just shook her head and gave me a sad smile.

"You look very nice, Fin" she said her eyes brimming with tears. I crossed the room over to her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders leaning down to rest my chin on her head. She sniffed and breathed deeply trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over, I closed my eyes.

"I'm going to be fine mom, it's three slips, there's nothing to worry about." I told her in my most comforting voice. She let go of me and wiped her thumb under both her eyes.

"When did you get so old?" she asked in a sad voice

"I think the real question is when did I get so attractive." I said trying to lighten her spirits. This time she almost managed a real smile.

"You have no idea how to handle a non light hearted situation, do you?" she asked.

"No not even a little." I said picked up a roll and shoving the whole thing in my mouth, reaching for another. A canon sounded through all of district 4 calling everyone one to the reaping. Your presence is mandatory, no one but the dying will be allowed to skip this event and peacekeepers will make sure of this. If your not dying and you don't show your face at the reaping you will be killed. No questions asked. No excuses. Another canon, my mother gathers me in one more hug before pushing me gently out the door.

"I'll be right behind you." she said quietly

"What about dad?" I asked

"He'll be meeting us there, he's coming from the docks. Go, you can't be late." she pushed me out the door and turned back into the house. I didn't wait for her she would come soon. I walked down the steps and towards the square, I could just barely hear the crashing of the waves on the rocky shore and the shipper men yelling to each other as they bring the boats in, the smell of the salty air. As I walked along the path to the square I wondered what it would be like to not smell this air, to not hear the ocean, or the boats, or the seagulls. I couldn't imagine it would be all that nice of a world the ocean keeps most of the people around here sane. The crowd started growing around me as more and more children started to crowd the square the 12 year olds screaming and clinging to loved ones as their shoved into the check in line by peace keepers, 18 year olds pushing past everyone with vacant expression, praying and wishing to make it out of their final reaping without their name coming out of that glass bowl.

A scream echoed around the square louder and more ear piecing than any of the others. The people around the cause of the voice covered their ears and moved away, and that's how I found Annie. No one but her could produce a sound like that. People moved around the commotion of the two sister as I moved towards them I saw Annie clinging to Kylee tears running down her cheeks as she begged her not to let them take her away. Kylee had both her arms wrapped around her younger sister whispering things to her. Kylee had a look of determination in her bright blue eyes that never seemed to leave and I knew that whatever she was telling her was true, there was no way Annie was going in that arena this year whether her name came out of that bowl or not. A peacekeeper came and shoved me into the line of boys waiting to get checked in.

"keep moving" he barked pushing me once again for good measure. I saw another one grab Annie and her sister and dragged them to the opposite line set up for the girls. "Next" the women at the desk said reaching out her hand for mine I placed mine in hers and she pricked it with a small needle and wiped the blood that came out of my finger on a small square paper. "Next" she called again as I hurriedly moved away from the table. The justice building had been transformed once again into the capitol's set up. The capitols symbol had been strung up on signs at the top of the building and painted in red on the stage. Red for blood I thought how clever they are. There were cameras everywhere waiting to catch sight of the two children who will be sent to their deaths. The area below the stage had been roped off into two main section girls on one side boys on the other, and then cut into seven smaller sections on both sides for the 12 to 18 years. We were corralled into these things like a bunch of live stock. I guess in a way we are. Completely relying on our keepers doing whatever it is they want because if we don't we're dead.

"Why don't you try to look a little more freaked out there, Finnick." my best friend came up next to me and elbowed me in the gut.

"Shut up Tristen, not like your not freaking out too." I said punching him in the arm. He stared down at the 12 year old section as his younger brother walked in. He was scared but not for himself not even a little. He couldn't care less about himself and I knew that. All his fear lied in his younger brother, he wouldn't care if his name came out of that bowl but if his brothers did he'd lose his mind. This is one of the many times I'm glad I don't have any siblings to worry about but i still had Annie and kylee for that matter and the fact that they could be reaped scared more than fact that I could be.

"I'm not scared for myself" he said never taking his eyes off his brother, "and neither are you." he said not a question in his voice a simple statement. And he was right I wasn't scared for myself. No ones ever scared for themselves. "You're scared for her aren't you?" this time it was a question and I knew who he was talking about.

"Yes, and Kylee." I said

"But mostly Annie." this time it wasn't a question. I just shrugged in reply. I worried about them both but he's right I do worry about Annie more and I don't know why. Maybe because I feel like Kylee can take care of herself. Kylee's strong, stubborn, determined, and vicious. I know for a fact if she got put into that arena it wouldn't be a matter of if she would win, just a matter of when. But Annie, she's the opposite of her sister, quiet, kind, sweet, the only thing the two really share are their stubbornness and Annie could just about give her sister a run for her money in that department. She would never make it out of the games tho, they would chew her up and spit her out, she would never be alright again if she was put into the arena.

A bell at the top of the justice building tolled telling everyone's its time to begin the reaping. The mayor of district 4 came on to the stage and walked up to the microphone. Following behind him came a couple of the past district 4 victors and our escort Marci Bonnet came bouncing happily onto the stage after them filling the chairs that where lined up at the back of the stage. The mayor begins to talk about Panem and how it rose out of the ashes of what was once known as South America. He talks about the dark days and the war which is the reason for the Hunger Games. He tells us that the Hunger Games where made to show the remaining 12 district just how much power the Capitol holds over us. Making it so the districts would have to offer up a male and female tribute between the ages of 12 to 18 to fight till the death in an arena that the game makers have created until a single tribute remains. Once a tribute has won he becomes a victor and shall be given many riches and fame for surviving the games. What he's really saying is look how we take your children and make them kill each other and you can't do anything about, so don't step out of line cause we hold all power.

He then goes on to read a list of all the past district 4 victors. Being from a career district means we have more than the average amount of victors but still not nearly as many as districts 1 and 2. He tells everyone the mentors for this year who will be responsible for giving the tributes this year the best training and best odds of winning, the mentors will be Mags Dauphin who won some time ago, she's in her fifties or sixties but looking pretty good for her age she's one of the very few victors who don't turn to drugs to solve their problems. The other mentor will be Bari Poissant who won about 10 years ago, he's a young guy only 26 but unlike Mags he looks much older for his young age, his eyes always hold this haunted look. After he announces that he moves on to introduce the district 4 mentor Marci Bonnet, she jumped up from her seat and walked over to the microphone placed in the middle of the stage in between the two huge glass bowls filled with the name of all the children. The whole time she was walking I couldn't understand why she would wear shoes like the ones she had on. She had these huge long heels that made her walk funny and I don't understand how she could even stand in something so obnoxious and weird but she made it to the microphone with no problem. She walked right up to it and cleared her throat.

"Welcome!" she spoke loudly and with too much enthusiasm "welcome, to the reaping of the 65th annual Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." she said putting emphasis on the word ever, in her annoying capitol accent. "Well lets get started, ladies first, as always." she walked over to the big glass bowl that held the girls names. You could hear everyone in the whole square draw a collection breath and praying that it won't be their sister, daughter, girlfriend, or friend. All I could think is not Annie not Kylee. She tauntingly moved her hand around the bowl a few times before finally settling on a slip towards the bottom she pulled it out and walked back to the microphone. She unfolded the slip and announced the name to the whole square.

"Macy Crawford" she said, the name bounced off the walls of the square. Everyone looked over to the 17 year old section of the girls as people started to part around the unlucky girl who's name was chosen. The girl who was picked didn't coward away from everyone didn't even give the people around her a second look. She stuck her nose straight in the air and walked right out of the group of 17 year olds and onto the stage. She had an almost satisfied look on her face as she stared right into one of the cameras. Not showing a single weakness. She reminded me of Kylee not caring what the hell life through at her. I wouldn't want to be any of the 23 other tributes cause district 4 has a victor this year and her names Macy Crawford.

"Any volunteers?" she asked not a single girl moved I think everyone was thinking what I was, this girl has some good odds and she wants it. "No volunteers alright then time for the boys!" Marci said moving quickly over to the boys bowl. Once again everyone gathered a breath and prayed it wouldn't be their son, brother, boyfriend, or friend. I caught a quick look at Annie as the escort grabbed a slip, she gave me an encouraging smile and mouthed "swim" to me, I smiled back nodding and mouthing back "you know it". The escort unfolded the slip of paper with the boys name on it and announced the name to the square.

"Finnick Odair!" she said brightly I started to look around for the boy who's name had been called before I realized that's me. That's my name! I'm Finnick! Tristen gave me a shove and a slap on the arm a smile on his face.

"Congrats bro!" he said loudly, I was confused before I realized he was helping me he was trying to cover up my dumb struck expression that was surely plastered on my face at the current moment. He raised his hand above his head and I forced my mouth into what I hoped was a convincing smile as I reached up to high five my best friend and jump out of the 14 year old section. I walked as calmly and cooly as I possible could onto the stage trying to make it look like I had this in the bag. I walked up the stairs and came to a stop next to the escort.

"Any volunteers?" she asked, I silently prayed for someone to volunteer but no one did. Not a single person even looked like they where thinking about. Well except Tristen but I knew he wouldn't, I wouldn't want him to and he has his younger brother to take care of. "I guess where not in a volunteering mood this year, huh?" she laughed and then realized no one was laughing with her so she quickly composed herself and moved on "Well I'm proud to announce your tributes for the 65th annual Hunger Games Macy Crawford and Finnick Odair!" everyone around the square clapped and cheered and hollered for a few minutes before it died down.

The escort had us shake each others hands before the anthem played and a couple peacekeepers came and escorted us into the justice placed both of us into separate rooms where we will be allowed 1 hour to say good bye to our families and friends before we are to get on the tribute train and get taken to the Capitol to begin the week of training before we're thrown into the arena to fight to the death. The room I was put in was the nicest room I have ever been in it had, really nice thick carpets and a velvet couch and chairs. A couple minutes pass before the door opens and my mother and father come into the room. My mother has tear freely falling out of her eyes and her nose is running, she gathers me in a bone crushing hug and sobs into my chest for a good couple minutes. My dad comes and takes me mother off of me and holds her to him.

"I can win this." I tell them my mother just starts crying harder but my father smiles

"I know, and you will. You can find food and you can fight, you know your way around a trident just think of the other tributes as fish and you'll be home before you know it, squirt." my father tells me.

"Then we can get a nice big house and live in the victors village and never have to work another day in our life." I say, my mother looks at me

"I don't care about any of that I just want my baby to come back to me." my mother tells me before another round of sobs hit her.

"I will mom, I will win and I will come home. I promise." I walk over to both of my parents and wrap my arms around them and we just stand there hugging each other untill a peacekeeper comes and takes them away.

"Don't ever forget we love you more than anything Finnick and we'll be rooting for you the whole way, squirt." my father tells me as he leaves the small room. After they're gone I wait a couple minutes before the door opens again and Tristen walks in.

"I think I deserve a thank you for saving your ass out there." he said

"Thanks bro, seriously I was dying out there." I told him sincerely.

"I know. Now listen you're gonna go out there and win. You're gonna get your hands on a trident and make a net catch them make a trap and kill them, just like fish." he said

"I don't know if I can, Tristen there not fish there people! With families and friends and-"

"It's you or them Finnick either you die or they do. Do you not understand that, you have friends and family too. Do you want to die?" he asked cutting me off

"No but-"

"Then there shouldn't be any buts about it. You either go out there kill and win or be killed and loose. No if ands or buts about." he said cutting me off again. He's trying to make me see sense that's why he came here he knows everyone else will have come here to be nice and cry and wish for me to come home. He came here to beat it into me that I'm either gonna come home or die. Hard and to the point the exact reason I became friends with him.

"Alright. I'm gonna win." I told him looking him straight in the eye.

"Good, then I'll see you when you get back." he said turning and walking out of the room. Once again a couple minutes pass and the door opens once again. She walks in, with tear stains on her cheeks, and so quietly I just barely hear her she says, "you promised."

"I know. I'm sorry." I said looking at the floor. She was silent for a while tears running silently down her pink cheeks. She didn't look up when she spoke.

"Are you going to die Finnick?" she asked

"No. No I'm going to win these games and I'm going to come back as a victor. I'm going to win." I told her determinedly.

"Do you have a token yet?" she asked looking at me for the first time since she came in.

"No I wasn't planning on having one." I told her

"Will you wear something if I give it to you, just to remind you of where you come from?" she asked reaching into the left pocket of her skirt.

"Of course, Annie." I said. She pulled a bracelet of different shells that she must have found on the beach and strung them together on a piece of rope.

"Hold out your wrist" she said and I did as I was told, she tied the shells onto my wrist into an unbreakable knot, when she was done she dropped her hands back down to her sides and smiled a very small sad smile. I lifted it up to my face and smelled the shells I closed my eyes and took a big whiff and smiled they still smelled like the beach.

"Thank you, Annie." I told her dropping my hand from my face.

"Your welcome Fin. Will you promise me something?" she asked

"Of course, anything." I said

"Promise me you'll come home. Promise me you'll win?" she asked

"I promise." I said and then I smiled "besides I still owe you that night swim don't I?" I asked her, she looked up at me as a real smile spread across her face.

"Ya, you do." she said, as a peacekeeper opened the door behind her and barged in.

"Times up." he announced as he grabbed Annie's upper arm.

"Good bye Fin." she called as the peacekeeper dragged her out.

"Good bye, Annie." I said as the door slammed behind her. After that another peacekeeper came and took me and Macy to a car outside the justice building. Waiting inside the car was Marci, she talked the whole way to the train station. Neither me or Macy listened her. Her voice was just the background sound the whole way there. When we got to the station it was completely crowded with people who had large cameras, yelling over each other trying to talk to me and Macy but so many people where talking at one time it was hard to hear anything it sounded more like a bunch of yelling than anything else. I tried to copy Macy's expression of boredom and just wipe my face clean of all emotion but I wasn't sure I was doing a very good job of it. We were required to stand at the doorway of the train for a few minutes while the reporter got all the picture of us they wanted before the doors where closed and I was speeding away from district 4 at 250 miles per hour


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

I stood facing out the back window of the train watching my home disappear. Watching the deep blue of the ocean become a small speck of blue in the distance and then nothing. I'm not sure how long I stood there, could have been minutes, or hours but both Macy and Marci had disappeared to somewhere in the train. I felt a small, bony hand touch my upper arm and a then small figure of an older women move to stand beside me, it's Mags. She doesn't speak, doesn't try to console me with words that mean nothing to either of us. She simply just stands beside me and doesn't say a word. Eventually Marci comes to find the two of us and tells us it's time to begin dinner. Mags turns away from the window and starts after Marci, I glance one more time out the window before following after both women.

We moved through door after door that automatically and soundlessly open when you approach. Marci makes mindless conversation about something or another as we walk. When we move through the last door bringing us to the dining cart of the train Macy and Bari have already began eating. I couldn't believe the immaculate spread of all the foods on and surrounding the large mahogany table. Foods of all kinds sat throughout the cart, some of which I had never seen or heard of before. Meat on one table, cakes and pastries on another, pastas and soups, salads of all different kinds, and most importantly a whole portion if the cart was taken up of seafood. So much seafood, fishes, and clams, and muscles, and lobster an extra special delicacy never given in district 4. Mags must have noticed my eye on the seafood and summoned one of the people bustlings through the cart to make a plate and set it at the empty seat across from her. I followed the plate and sat in one of the blue cushioned chairs around the table. I dove immediately into the plate, tasting the lobster first. I had never in my life had lobster and only ever caught one once, they were difficult to get with my trident usually found out in the deeper part of the ocean.

"What about you Finnick?" I had been so wrapped up in all the food I hadn't noticed Bari had started a conversation.

"What?" I asked food still in my mouth. Marci made a face at my lack of manners.

"Chew your food with you mouth closed then speak. Ladies don't appreciate men without manners." Marci chastised, now it was my turn to pull a face.

" I really don't give a rats ass what the "ladies" appreciate." I told her putting sarcastic emphasis on the word ladies. I'd seen the "ladies" of the Capitol on the television they looked more like overdressed poodles than any type of women I'd seen in my life. Bari was choking on something as he laughed about my comment, Mags had a hand placed over her hand hiding a smile and Macy cracked the first smile I had seen from her. Bari wacked my back and I slumped forward with the force of his hit.

"This kid," he said still half choking pointing at me "I like him. And I'll like you even more if you handle any type of weapon. Hell, I'll be happy if you've played with a stick before." He looked at me expectedly "so?" He asked "Can you?"

"Can I what?" I asked him staring blankly at him, he rolled his eyes.

"Let's hope you handle a weapon better than you think. Can you fight with anything?" He asked, I shrugged I wasn't sure I wanted to say anything about my trident with Macy sitting in the same room. I looked over to her, she was glaring at her plate stabbing a piece of some kind of meat with her fork and bringing it to her mouth. "Trident" she said putting the mystery meat in her mouth and chewing on it. I stared at her, raising my eyebrow at her in a questioning look. She smirked and stabbed at another piece of meat.

"My father's on your father's fishing boat he's seen you work your way around a trident, you're not that mysterious Odair." She put the piece of meat in her mouth and slowly chewed on it never breaking eye contact. She was trying to get under my skin and it wasn't working.

"So a trident, huh?" Bari asked folding his hands over his protruding belly and giving me a once over. "Are you any good with it?" I shrugged again.

"I'm not sure, I've never had to rate myself on a scale of 1 to murder." I told him, a snarky edge to my voice.

"You get used to it, after the first one they're all the same." A harsh edge came over his voice and Mags' eyes fell to the table cloth.

"My dad says I have a talent. Says he hasn't seen someone as good with a trident as myself. He tells me it becomes an extension of my arm when I use it. So, ya I guess I'm pretty good with it."

" Good," Bari says, he picks up one of the bigger sharper knifes one of the attendances had used to cut the larger meets. He wipes the remnants of the meat off on a napkin sitting next to him. He grabs my wrist and puts the handle of the knife in my hand closing my fist around the end. "Throw it." He tells me. I give him a questioning look. "It's your trident, throw it." He says again.

"Bari.." Mags warns, he lifts a hand to silence her. "You wanna live kid?" He asked, I slowly shake my head. "Then throw the damn knife." I slowly stood up from the table knife in one hand. I picked a spot on the opposite wall a painting of a thin, aging, white haired man sitting behind a large desk, he looked vaguely familiar. I tried not to over think what I was about to do. I placed the knife beside my ear just as I would with a smaller trident. I brought it back past the back of my head and then used all my strength to send the "trident" hurling towards the painting. It hit the aging man straight between the eyes a perfect death shot.

Bari started laughing hysterically and clapping his hands together like a small child, Marci, Macy, and Mags did a collective gasp. Bari wiped away tears that had fallen from his eyes, "I sincerely hope you were aiming for that kiddo." He said still laughing, I slowly sank back into my chair. "I was." I told him. Another round of laughter choked Bari off. Marci walked over to the painting and pulled the knife out of the picture and taking the painting off the wall. She mumbled something that sound like "Mr. President, oh, Mr. President." I remembered then where I had seen the aging man before. He was the president of panem. I just sent a knife through President Snow's head. I immediately started mumbling apologies.

"I didn't.. I thought he... He looked so..." Bari clapped me on the back once again when he finally got a handle on himself and his laughter. "No, no kid that was great, brilliant! I really hope you can handle a trident like that." He heaved a sigh and fell against the back of his chair. "Ya, me too." I mumbled to myself, Bari laughed again. "This kids gonna be great."

Marci gingerly placed the painting in one of the attendances hand. She then turned to our group at the table and sighed. "How about we go do something a little less destructive, yes!" She said clapping her hands and smiling widely at her own idea. "Let's go watch the reaping! Yes brilliant idea." She said like she was congratulating herself. Oh, ya I thought that's much less destructive choosing 24 children to send them off to slaughter, yes, so much less destructive. "Come, come!" Marci called bouncing out the opposite door we came in from. Mags raised from her chair, as well as Macy and followed her out. Bari heaved a sigh and stood to follow, I stayed seated.

"Let's go kid, watching the reaping is actually a good thing, best time to pick out a weakness in the other tributes"

"I can't win these games everyone knows that. I'm only 14."

"I don't give a shit how old you are. Let me tell you something about these games. There exactly that a game, a television show. It doesn't matter if you can't fight, it doesn't matter how old you are and it's not about the odds Finnick. You wanna know how to win these games, you make people like you, you make people want you to come out of that arena. That's how you win. So get your whiny ass up and go watch the reaping. You'll have the Capitol women tripping over themselves to sponsor you, there's your leverage use it. If they want you out alive you'll get out alive." He turned and started walking towards the door it opened and he stopped halfway through the door. "One more thing," he said "make your attitude match your looks." My eyebrows pulled together.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Your an extremely good looking kid, Finnick you have to make that attitude match those looks, arrogance son. There's your other leverage." He left the room and the door closed behind him. Arrogance, I mulled the word over in my mind. I had heard my mother use it before she always said it was a bad thing. She used to say the second you become arrogant, is the second you loose everything. Bari was a confusing person but i didn't doubt he knew what he was talking about.

I got up from the tables and walked to the door the others exited from, it opened up into a large room. A couch was placed in the center of the room, a glass coffee table in from of it. To the left of the couch sat a love seat and on the right a chair with an attached foot rest. Bari sat in that chair while The three girls sat on the couch, I moved to sit on the love seat. A very large flat t.v. was placed on the granite wall in from of the three couches, the Capitol seal appeared on the t.v. and panned to an area that looked like the reaping set up in district 4 with obvious changes. There were so many more children and the stage was filled with past victors it was district 1 for sure. There escort entered, her large heels clomping across the stage to the microphone she tapped it twice and welcomed everyone. She started with the girls just like in every district. She pulled a 15 year old girls name was pulled she brought her up to the stage and asked for volunteers a girl from the 18 year old section hand flew into the air. "I volunteer" she said her voice strong and firm. With hatred and determination in her deep blue eyes he sauntered up to the stage announcing her name as Diamond. Next their escort moved onto the males, as expected a large brawny male from the 18 year old section volunteered, announcing his name as Desmond. Diamond and Desmond what a couple of names I thought sourly. They quickly moved onto the district two reaping where just as district 1 two healthy, strong, and all in all frightening 18 year olds volunteered, the girl was named Avelina and the boy Korey.

After the first two districts not many of the other districts particularly stood out to me. Only a 12 year old girl named Hettie from district 8 who scarcely reminded me of Annie. She didn't have her bright green eyes and her hair was blond rather than brown but the deep fear that shone in her eyes as she walked up to the stage, I had seen earlier today on the beach. As well as a 15 year old boy with a limb from district 10 named Olen, but he didn't stand out because of his limb there was something in his eyes he was hiding something. After the sadly, pathetic excuse for tributes from district 12 the capitol seal appeared again on the scene and then it turned off.

Mags spoke first, "Who stood out to you guys?"

"District 1 and 2 for sure and that guy from 6 and the girl from 9 she looked vicious." Macy said she had picked out the obvious threats.

"Good, those are good ones to watch out for." Mags turned to me "What about you Finnick who stood out to you?" I kept my eyes on the blank scene still seeing the haunting face of the twelve year old girl and the bony, starving faces of the two kids from twelve. It wasn't a game for them, it was a death sentence. "Finnick?" Mags asked placing a hand on my shoulder.

"The boy from 10" I said quietly Macy placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh, while Bari and Mags gave me a questioning look.

"The one with a limb? Seriously kid." Bari raised an eyebrow.

"There was something about him."

"Ya, something about the way he almost fell over getting on the stage." Macy said sarcastically getting up from the couch. "I'm going to sleep." She said stomping out the door.

"That's probably a good idea for all of us, it's been quite the day." Mags said standing up. "I'll show you to your room Finnick. If you're ready." I got up for my chair as well. "Sure" I said following Mags. We walked back through the dining cart and out to where we first loaded the train earlier today. Mags took me down a long corridor with door after door. She stopped at the fourth door on the right. "Here you are, this'll be your room for tonight we'll be at the Capitol tomorrow. There's clothes in the dresser and a shower everything you need." She smiled kindly and patted my back. "Thank you, Mags."

"You're welcome." She said turning to head back down the corridor. She stopped and turning back towards me. "By the way, I agree with you about the district 10 boy there's something," she paused in thought and smiled "fishy about him." She laughed at her own fish pun and then turned back to continue to her room. I pushed open the door to my temporary room. The room was very large it was the whole downstairs of my house back home. A bed was pushed against the far wall, the whole wall behind the bed was a large window, you could see the darkness of the night zipping past us. Just as Mags told me a dresser was placed next to a door that led to the bathroom.

I moved across the room to the bathroom. There was a mirror with a sink in front of it when you first entered the bathroom. I walked up to the mirror and looked at my reflection. I tried to find some change in my face from the last time I looked in the mirror this morning before the reaping. I sighed, this morning sure as hell doesn't feel like just this morning I was laying on my beach, swimming in my ocean, and spearing fish with my trident. I feel a hundred years old, like I aged years beyond my time in the last few hours. I think I understand why Bari looks so much older than he acutely is. I tried to find a hint of how I felt in my face but I couldn't I didn't look any different the only difference I could see was my eyes looked deader like the life had been sucked out of them. I sighed once again turning to face away from the mirror.

I took off my clothes and stepped into the shower. I tried to find the nozzle that turns it on like at my house but there wasn't a nozzle, just buttons. There was a line of buttons a blue button and a red button with lighter blue and red shades in between them. I pushed the one in the middle and heated water spouted from the head of the shower. I pushed some of the other buttons and different kinds soaps started flying at me from different areas of the shower. Eventually I just gave up and stepped out wrapping a white towel around my waste.

I went back out to room and opened the top drawer of the dresser. I pulled on a pair of boxers and then slipped on some shorts. I moved to the bed and pulled down the covers, sitting down on it. I grimaced it was so comfortable, it was uncomfortable. I laid down anyway and pulled the thin covers up to my chin. I closed my eyes and remained still trying to force myself to sleep. After a while I gave up deciding I wasn't falling asleep anytime soon. I got out of bed and went to the door quietly opening and moving down the hall. I retraced the way I had come with Mags. I found my way to the dining cart, all the food had been cleaned away and everything was spotless one of the attendances still stood by the doorway. When I walked in she moved towards me keeping her head staring at the floor, "Can I get you anything Mr. Odair?" She asked quietly. "No," I told her "no thank you." She moved back to her point at the door and I continued through the dining cart into the room we had watched the reaping in earlier.

Everything still sat in the same position it had been sitting in earlier a remote sat on the glass coffee table. I moved to sit on the couch and grabbed the remote off the coffee table. I pressed the large red power button and the large t.v. turned itself on. The reaping once again was replaying, as it continuously would until they have something new to show everyone. They were already on district 8 and the young 12 year old year was standing on the stage. I didn't care about missing the first couple of districts I just wanted to see district 10 again.

When the district 10 reaping began, I moved to sit at the edge of the couch. When the cameras would pan out to the couch I searched for the male tribute. The escort called his name and the cameras moved out to the crowd. The cameras found him and he took two step and I saw it, he wasn't limping. After he took the two steps he paused like he was thinking and then he started to limp, he was trying to fool everyone into thinking he was weaker he wanted people to overlook him. I picked up the remote and noticed a button near the top it was two arrows side by side point to the left. I pressed it and the pictures on the television started to go backwards, I waited till the escort was calling his name before I pressed the button next to it a single arrow pointing to the right. The pictures began to play forward again, I watched again and again the way he began with no limb and then how the limp mysteriously began.

"It doesn't matter how many times you watch it, you won't find what your looking for." I jumped as Bari spoke from the darkness behind me.

"I just thought I might find something." I said turning around to face him.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked walking towards me to sick in the chair he had occupied earlier.

"The beds aren't very comfortable."

"They're too comfortable." I nodded "do you want to live Finnick?" He asked

"Of course I want to live."

"Then let me tell you something. You won't leave these games the same you came. This experience, these games will change you. It will make you hate yourself. It will make you the person you promised yourself you would never be, and you have to get over it if you want to be coming home on this train."

"I know" I told him.

"You know, huh? If you know then stop being so woe is me and grow up. You may be 14 years old but the capitol and those other tributes don't care how old you are. When we get in the capitol tomorrow get an attitude, get arrogant, make then like you. Give everyone there a reason to want you out of that arena. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Yes."

"Then start applying it." He said getting up and leaving the room. He was right, I didn't like it but he was right. Arrogance like he had said earlier there's my key now I have to use it. I just have to figure out how to be an arrogant person.


End file.
